COMPUTER ETHICS

What does it mean to be “ethical” on the computer?

What is “Computer Ethics”?

Ethics is a set of moral principles that govern the behavior of a group or individual.

Computer ethics is set of moral principles that regulate the use of computers.

Some common issues of computer ethics include: intellectual property rights (such as copyrighted

electronic content) privacy concerns how computers affect society.

While it is easy to duplicate copyrighted electronic (or digital) content, computer ethics would suggest that it is wrong to do so without the author's approval.

And while it may be possible to access someone's personal information on a computer system, computer ethics would advise that such an action is unethical.

Common Issues of Computer Ethics

Ethics is a moral code involving a clear understanding of right and wrong.

Another word for ethics is values. Values are the ideas and beliefs we live by—what we consider to be important.

When people talk about ethics, they may be focused on one specific area, such as business, medical, political, environmental, religious, or personal ethics.

We are going to focus on another important area of ethics: computer ethics.

If you have good computer ethics:

you won’t try to harass or hurt people with your computer

you won’t commit crimes such as information theft or virus creation

The problem that often arises when some of us are on a computer is that we don’t see the harm in snooping in another person’s private information or trying to figure out their passwords.

It seems smart to copy and paste information into a school report and pretend that we wrote it. (Even if the information were public property—which most of it isn’t—that would be dishonest.)

The crimes committed with hacking or gaming scams may not seem harmful because the victims lack faces.

Passwords? Copying? Hacking?

Flaming? Obscenities?Flaming (aiming abusive, insulting messages at another person online) seems risk-free since we are anonymous.

Indulging in obscenities and other offensive behavior online might feel empowering simply because no one knows who we really are.

No one is going to come knocking on the door and demand a physical confrontation. However, every one of those activities is a violation of computer ethics.

Computer Ethics Institute

The Computer Ethics Institute, a non-profit research and education organization in Washington, published a code of ethics in 1998 for computer users.

They have given the public permission to duplicate and distribute this list as long as it remains intact. (Including the list without a mention of the source would be a violation of ethics—that would be plagiarism!)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR COMPUTER ETHICS

1) Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.2) Thou shalt not interfere with other people’s computer work.3) Thou shalt not snoop around in other people’s files.4) Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.5) Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness. (To tell lies

about other people.)6) Thou shalt not use or copy software for which you have not paid.7) Thou shalt not use other people’s computer resources without

authorization.8) Thou shalt not appropriate other people’s intellectual output. (It’s

called plagiarism!)9) Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you

write.10) Thou shalt use a computer in ways that show consideration and

respect.

Nancy Willard, executive director of the Responsible Netizen Institute at the University of Oregon’s Center for Advanced Technology in Education, has some ideas to help you develop good computer ethics.

If you follow her advice, you will develop the kind of ethics that will make you a model student, employee, and citizen.

Ask yourself these three questions before you make a move to do something questionable. How would you feel if your behavior made

front-page news?How would you feel if somebody did to

you what you are thinking about doing?How would it look in the real world (i.e.

stealing online versus shoplifting)?

If you do as Mrs. Willard advises, and you make the appropriate choices, you will become known as trustworthy and honest. Those qualities are very important for anyone whose goal is to be successful.

Because our society has become so computerized, we need to embrace computer ethics for the well-being of the future.  

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